The findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing allegations of mass burials in Dharmasthala are still not public, activists of the “Kondavaru Yaru?” (Who Killed Women in Dharmasthala?) campaign said on April 11.
Members of the campaign pointed this out during a press conference held in Bengaluru to express solidarity with Kusumavathi, who has been seeking justice for her daughter Sowjanya, who was raped and murdered in 2012 in Dharmasthala, Dakshina Kannada district.
The SIT was formed on July 19, 2025.
While releasing an open letter addressed to Kusumavati, advocate S Balan, said that there had been a “massive failure of the entire system in the matter of atrocities that took place in Dharmasthala”.
He alleged that the investigating local police, CID, and CBI had “failed”.
“From the Ramakrishna Hegde government to the current Siddaramaiah government, every single government has failed to provide an answer to this question: ‘Who are the killers?’,” he said, pointing out that the SIT had not registered a single case nor had it made any of its findings public. “Why has the SIT not released any progress report to the public till now?” Balan said.
Referring to the PIL that Kusumavati had filed in the Karnataka High Court regarding 74 unnatural deaths that had allegedly occurred in Dharmasthala, Balan said, “In these unnatural deaths, post-mortem examinations were not conducted, inquests were not done, and in some cases, even FIRs were not registered. The investigation has not progressed. Why?”
The Karnataka High Court on March 18 directed the state to submit details of 74 unnatural deaths in the Dharmasthala region.
Referring to the plea that Kusumavati has filed in the Supreme Court, Balan said, “Why can’t CM Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Parameshwara issue orders for a re-investigation? Why should Kusumavathi have to approach the Supreme Court for this?”
In a press release, the campaign referred to a communication sent by the State Women’s Commission on October 31, 2025, seeking an update from the SIT. The Commission had asked the SIT to either initiate a comprehensive inquiry into the cases or provide details if such an investigation had already been conducted. However, there has been no response so far, the campaign said.
“Your courage in knocking on the doors of the Supreme Court is not only admirable; it is deeply moving and inspiring,” the campaign said.